Seoul did not sleep that night.
Even hours after the tremors stopped, the air remained thick, charged, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Streetlights flickered. Windows glowed with anxious silhouettes. Sirens pulsed across the city in slow, uneasy waves.
But inside the emergency shelter beneath Seo Joon's apartment, the world felt strangely distant—almost muffled.
Seo Joon sat on a metal bench, elbows on his knees, breathing in and out slowly. His mind replayed the encounter over and over:
The rift opening…
The light swallowing him…
The stairway of ash and wind…
And the glowing tablet naming him Korea's First Hunter.
He still wasn't sure if it was real.
Across from him, Waqar stood with his arms crossed, tall and composed, like a soldier comfortable in chaos. Even in the dim light of the shelter, he looked unshaken.
"You keep zoning out," Waqar said quietly. "Accept it. You're chosen."
Seo Joon looked up. "Chosen for what? Fighting monsters? Saving the world? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do."
Waqar cracked a small, understanding smile—one that didn't look forced.
"Same thing I asked when it happened to me."
Seo Joon blinked. "You… weren't scared?"
"Of course I was," Waqar replied. "But fear means you're smart. It means you understand the weight."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Here's the truth: you're the second hunter in the world. I'm the first. And whether you like it or not… we're brothers in this now."
Seo Joon felt something shift at those words—a strange mix of reassurance and responsibility.
"…Why me?" Seo Joon whispered. "Why Korea? Why now?"
Waqar didn't answer immediately. He walked towards a small window slit, staring up at the faint red glow still lingering in the sky.
"When my awakening happened," Waqar said, "I saw visions. Not just monsters—countries burning. Walls falling. Humanity running in every direction like ants. The world is changing, Joon… and not slowly."
He turned back, eyes steady.
"And countries will compete. Powers will rise. Alliances will break. The world will feel smaller and more dangerous than ever. That's why we must stand together."
Seo Joon swallowed. "I don't know if I can handle that."
Waqar placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"No hunter can handle it alone. That's why I'm here. That's why I choose you as my first ally."
A rare warmth spread through Seo Joon's chest.
For the first time since the sky cracked open, he didn't feel alone.
A sudden rumble shook the shelter.
Both men turned sharply.
The overhead lights flickered—once, twice—before a screen on the wall crackled to life.
A government emergency broadcast.
> "New anomaly detected—Rank: Unknown. Location: Gwanghwamun Square. All civilians evacuate immediately.
Waqar's eyes narrowed.
"That's not normal."
Seo Joon stood up. "Another gate?"
"No," Waqar said. "Something else."
The screen flickered again—this time showing live footage.
And the image froze both of them.
A giant shadow spread across Gwanghwamun.
A single figure stood at its center, cloaked in blue fire.
A mark glowed across the plaza, spiraling outward like a ritual symbol.
Seo Joon's heart pounded.
"What… is that?"
Waqar exhaled slowly.
"That, Joon… is your country reacting."
He clenched his fists, energy crackling along his arms.
"Looks like your trial is starting sooner than expected."
Seo Joon's throat tightened.
"My… trial?"
Waqar nodded.
"Every country's first hunter faces one. Mine nearly killed me."
He met Seo Joon's eyes.
"And yours looks worse."
Seo Joon felt fear, yes—but underneath it, something else began to burn.
Resolve.
He turned toward the stairway.
"Then I'm not running."
Waqar smiled with approval.
"Good. Because from now on—Korea stands with Pakistan. And I stand with you."
The two hunters stepped out of the shelter.
And the night swallowed them.